NEW DELHI: The South Korean navy chief, Admiral Jung Ok-keun, arrived here on Sunday to step up military cooperation through joint exercises and officer-exchange programmes.

This is the first visit by a South Korean naval chief to the country.

Though a military ally of the U.S., India’s defence ties with South Korea have lagged as compared to relations with Singapore and Japan. Because of its adversarial relations with Japan in the past, South Korea had been reluctant to do business in a collective military arrangement that involves Tokyo.

Admiral Jung’s visit is part of a three-nation trip intended to shore up defence ties with countries that lie astride the energy fuel line to the oil-deficient nation. Admiral Jung is expected to invite his counterpart Admiral Sureesh Mehta for an international fleet review later this year and seek the participation of Indian warships.

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